Naples/Salerno – Bank accounts held by residents between Naples and Salerno were allegedly used to quickly transfer and cash out the proceeds of SMS scams, before transfers abroad or cash withdrawals.
This is one of the key findings of the operation by the Carabinieri of the Chieti Investigative Unit, coordinated by the Public Prosecutor's Office, which dismantled a network specializing in smishing with ramifications in Tuscany and Campania and financial flows also directed to Belgium and Luxembourg.
The investigation stems from a complaint from an elderly victim defrauded on October 15, 2025: an SMS, disguised as a message from a digital payment company, allegedly triggered contact with fake operators and the theft of their online banking credentials. Once they gained access, the scammers allegedly initiated two instant transfers totaling €96.300, operating within a timeframe that made it difficult for the victim to intervene.
The money route in Campania
According to the investigation, the money was directed to bank accounts in Campania and then "pushed" out of Italy via wire transfers to Belgium and Luxembourg, or converted into cash via ATM withdrawals in the Naples-Salerno area. This scheme, based on transit accounts and rapid transactions, would have served to fragment the trail and accelerate the dispersal of the funds.
Seizures and suspects
The searches resulted in the seizure of 685 SIM cards, three multi-SIM devices, computers, phones, and even prepaid cards identified as transit devices. A total of 17 people are under investigation, and investigations are ongoing to reconstruct the entire chain of responsibility and attempt to recover the funds.
The anti-smishing service
Authorities reiterate that banks and payment companies never ask for credentials, passwords, or device codes via SMS or phone and urge people not to click on links or call numbers contained in suspicious messages, using only official channels.
If in doubt, the best course of action is to contact your bank directly and report the incident to the relevant authorities (e.g., the Postal Police), avoiding impulsive action following alarmist messages.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
This article discusses a serious situation involving SMS scams between Naples and Salerno. It's important to be vigilant about the messages we receive, but we also need to understand how these scammers operate to protect people.